Abstract: The manual sheet feeding apparatus according to the conventional art employing a retard separating system requires a pick-up roller for feeding sheets one by one from the bundle of sheets, a mechanism for detaching the pick-up roller, a shutter, and a shutter solenoid for controlling the shutter. Consequently, these requirements cause need of a large space, a complex system, and high cost. In order to improve the above issue, they are provided, a sheet feeding apparatus for use in image forming apparatuses and image reading apparatuses which have the following features. A sheet supported by a displaceable sheet supporting unit of the sheet feeding apparatus is fed by a feeding rotation body. A separating rotation body is pressed against the feeding rotation body and is operated to force an extra sheet in a reverse direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding a currency note into a currency processing machine. This note feeder includes a transporter for transporting notes from a note stack onto a processing belt inside the currency processing machine. The note feeder also includes a mediating transporter that takes the note from the transporter and feeds the note onto the processing belt. The note feeder also includes sensors for determining when the note has left a first feeding area and entered a second feeding area and to determine whether multiple notes have entered the second feeder section. The note feed also includes and a sensor that determines when the note has entered onto the processing belt. Based on information received from the sensors, the transporter starts and stops thus providing uniform spacing between notes.

Abstract: The invention is a sheet feeder including a skimmer and a separator. The separator is designed for advancing the engaged sheet while separating any adjacent sheets. In one embodiment, the separator has a driven infeed roller nipped with a drag or separator roller. The separator roller also includes a recoil mechanism. The drag normally slips and permits the separator roller to be driven forward by the infeed roller, which cocks the recoil mechanism, then allows the infeed roller to advance a sheet. The separator roller recoils backward when a multifeed of two or more sheets is engaged between the advancing and separator rollers. The sheet separator can have as its sheet-engaging member a roller sleeve. The roller sleeve can be axially slidable on the rotatable element for ready installation on and removal from the rotatable element.

Abstract: In order to securely prevent or detect overlap feeding of sheet materials, there is provided a sheet material feeding mechanism which deforms the sheet materials on a feeding line so as to form a gap between the overlapping sheet materials which firmly cling to each other. For preventing the overlap feeding of the sheets, the drive relationship between a feeding roller and a pair of a parting roller and a retarding roller located on the downstream side from the feeding roller is optimized to form the gap between the sheet materials. Further, for detecting the overlap feeding of the sheets, bending correction ribs are provided on guide plates formed on the upper and lower sides of the feeding line of the sheet materials so as to deform the sheet materials fed in the overlapping condition, thereby the gap is formed between the overlapping sheets.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus for separating and feeding sheets contained in sheet containing means one by one that has separating and feeding means including a feeding rotary member and a separating rotary member brought into pressure contact with the feeding rotary member and a torque limiter provided between the separating rotary member and a driving shaft wherein a coefficient of friction of the separating rotary member is set so that relations that &mgr;BC N>T/r, &mgr;BP>&mgr;CP, and T/r>&mgr;CP N>&mgr;PP N may be established among a coefficient of friction &mgr;BC between the feeding rotary member and the separating rotary member, a coefficient of friction &mgr;BP between the feeding rotary member and the sheet, a coefficient of friction &mgr;CP between the separating rotary member and the sheet, a coefficient of friction &mgr;PP between the sheets, a pressure contact force N of the separating rotary member, an idling torque T of the torque limiter and an effective

Abstract: A paper discharging apparatus for a printer includes: a plurality of support plates for supporting the paper and rotating in a direction parallel to a paper proceeding direction; a rotation shaft of a feed roller arranged in a direction perpendicular to the paper proceeding direction, and to which a feed roller contacting the paper is coupled; a power transfer portion having a sector gear installed on the rotation shaft so that the sector gear doe not rotate when the rotation shaft rotates in a forward direction, and the sector gear does rotate when the rotation shaft rotates in a reverse direction; a crank rod having one end connected to the sector gear, and reciprocating when the sector gear rotates; and a cam shaft connected to the crank rod and rotating in correspondence to the reciprocation of the crank rod.

Abstract: An object of the paper sheet feed mechanism of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet feed mechanism in which delivery of paper sheets is stable. The paper sheet feed mechanism comprises a feed roller conveying paper money to the right direction of the drawing, a spring pressing the feed roller against the paper money, a sensor detecting the press force that the paper money receives by being pressed by the feed roller, a push-up board pushing up the paper money, and a control section regulating the height of the push-up board based on the detection result by the sensor, and also comprises a pick roller conveying the paper sheet at a conveyance speed faster than a conveyance speed by the feed roller.

Abstract: An Object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus that has sheet supporting device, sheet feeding device, separating device, separation force giving device for supplying a separation force to the separating device in a direction reverse to a sheet feeding direction, and separation force switching device for being switched between a connection state for supplying the separation force to the separating device by the separation force giving device and a cut-off state in which the separation force is not supplied to the separating device, wherein said separation force switching device is switched into the cut-off state at a time of a beginning of the feeding and is switched into the connection state when the sheet feeding device has fed the sheets for a predetermined distance from the beginning of the feeding, and a separation force supplied to said separating device in a state such that the separation force switching device is switched into the cut-off state is set to be smaller than a s

Abstract: A retard roller of non-ground surface type which is virtually free from adhesion of paper dust thereby to have an excellent friction coefficient sustainability, and which is free from creaky noises at a relatively low sheet feeding speed; a retard roller of non-ground surface type having little variation in outer diameter; and a sheet feeder employing such a retard roller. The retard roller comprises a roller body and a shaft extending axially therethrough, the roller body having a textured roller surface comprising a multiplicity of island portions (10) and a sea portion (11) recessed from the island portions, the island portions and the sea portion each having a multiplicity of fine projections (12). The ratio S1/S2 of the total area S1 of the island portions to the area S2 of the sea portion preferably is 0.25 to 0.55. The fine projections preferably each have a height of 3 to 25 &mgr;m.

Abstract: An apparatus for the separation of sheets includes a transport structure for exerting a force on an outermost sheet of a pack of sheets in the direction of transport and a separation structure for exerting a force on at least one other sheet of the pack against the direction of transport to prevent the other sheet from moving along with the outermost sheet in the direction of transport. The apparatus also includes a treating device for treatment of the engaging surface of the transport structure and/or the separation structure to increase the frictional coefficient of the engaging surface. Thus, a more reliable separation effect can be obtained especially over a longer period.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding a currency note into a currency processing machine. This note feeder includes a transporter for transporting notes from a note stack onto a processing belt inside the currency processing machine. The note feeder also includes a mediating transporter that takes the note from the transporter and feeds the note onto the processing belt. The note feeder also includes sensors for determining when the note has left a first feeding area and entered a second feeding area and a sensor that determines when the note has entered onto the processing belt. Based on information received from the sensors, the transporter starts and stops thus providing uniform spacing between notes.

Abstract: An arrangement for feeding documents piecemeal from a document bundle (9) comprises a banknote separator (200) which includes two mutually biased rollers (4,6) that are driven by a drive motor (1) that also drives a dispensing roller (3) which functions to dispense documents from the bundle. The rollers (4,6) of the roll pair are rotationally coupled together via a freewheeling hub. The second roller (6) does not rotate during dispensing of a document. Upon completion of a dispensing operation, the drive direction of the motor (1) is reversed, so as to bring the second roller (6) to a new angular position.

Abstract: The paper supply device according to the present invention includes a paper support member for supporting paper, a pick-up roller which is in contact with the paper and takes the paper out of the paper support member in a specified direction, and a removing member which is kept in contact with the pick-up roller and removes adherents to the pick-up roller and such a paper supply device is used to feed paper in an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus comprising a sheet supporting means for supporting sheets, a feeding means for feeding the sheets on the sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction, a separating means for rotating in a direction opposite to the sheet feeding direction to separate the sheets sheet by sheet in pressurized contact with the feeding means and a transmitting means for transmitting drive force of the feeding means to the separating means. A circumferential speed of the separating means is set smaller than a circumferential speed of the feeding means.

Abstract: A self-service terminal (10) comprising a dispenser (20) having a pick unit (44) for picking media items (64) is described. The dispenser (20) includes a drive wheel (72) for engaging with one surface of a media item and mounted on a drive wheel shaft (78), and a retard wheel (74) for engaging with an opposite surface of the media item and mounted on a retard wheel rotatable shaft (80) for rotating in the same direction as the first rotatable shaft. The drive and retard wheel shafts (78, 80) are coupled to a common drive component (98). The drive wheel (72) and the retard wheel (74) are resiliently biased together, and at least one of the shafts (78 or 80) is pivotally coupled to the common drive component (98) whereby the distance between the at least one shaft (78 or 80) and the drive component (98) remains constant as the at least one shaft (78 or 80) is displaced by a media item passing between the wheels (72, 74).

Abstract: A document feeder with overlap protection that prevents the overlap of successive documents moving from a document stack and that utilizes a nudger. An independent motor selectively drives the nudger. Document edge detectors sense the location of documents at the nudger and at other locations fed from the document stack and send control signals to the independent motor so that a proper distance is maintained between successive documents. A document edge detector can be placed at various locations along the path of document travel.

Abstract: The sheet feeding apparatus feeds sheet media between a feed roller and a separating member pressed into contact with the feed roller, and separates and conveys sheet media held between the feed roller and the separating member one by one by utilizing differences in frictional coefficients between the feed roller, the separating member, and the sheet media. The sheet media are separated and conveyed while periodically changing the pressurizing force of the reverse roller against the feed roller.

Abstract: A method of feeding sheets includes the step of conveying the sheets between a feed roller and a separation member. The separation member is pressed against and into contact with the feed roller with a pressure applied between the feed roller and the separation member. The method also includes the steps of separating and conveying the sheets conveyed between the feed roller and the separation member one by one, and providing a cyclic change in the pressure between the feed roller and the separation member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a turning apparatus and to an insert for a turning apparatus for at least two individual stacks (5 - 7) of individual sheets. The turning apparatus according to the invention, or the insert, is characterized by at least three stack-holding plates (1 - 4) to hold at least two individual stacks (5 - 7) separately between the stack-holding plates (1 - 4), in each case in stack-holding areas (19, 20) of the stack-holding plates (1 - 4), and by spacers (8) which are provided between adjacent stack-holding plates (1 - 4) and are arranged outside the stack-holding areas (19, 20).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus in which sheet feeding out means, while a sheet is conveyed by a sheet feed roller and a retard roller, feeds out a succeeding sheet to an abutting portion of the sheet feed roller and the retard roller so that a leading end of the succeeding sheet overlaps a trailing end of a preceding sheet.

Abstract: The invention is a sheet feeder for engaging and removing a sheet of paper or other material from a stack and feeding it along a path. The sheet feeder can include a sheet separator designed for advancing the engaged sheet while retarding any adjacent sheets. The separator has a driven advancing roller nipped with a driven retarding roller coupled to its drive by a friction clutch. The clutch normally slips and permits the retarding roller to be driven forward by the advancing roller when one or no sheets are engaged between the advancing and retarding rollers. The clutch engages and drives the retarding roller backward so long as a multifeed of two or more sheets is engaged between the advancing and retarding rollers.

Abstract: A device 100 for the feeding of sheets 14 from a ream 18, with a main rotating, feeding roller 27; a tray 13 containing the ream 18; and an auxiliary roller 130 arranged adjacent to the feeding roller 27, wherein the tray 13 is suitable for moving cyclically to bring the ream 18 into contact with the feeding roller 27, so that the latter picks one at a time the sheets 14 from the ream 18 and feeds them along a path 131; and wherein the auxiliary roller 130 is adapted for rotating in contact with the sheets 14 picked by the feeding roller 27, but without pulling them and in the direction opposite their feeding direction, the object being that of opposing the picking of double sheets from the ream 18.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus for separating and feeding sheets contained in sheet containing means one by one that has separating and feeding means including a feeding rotary member and a separating rotary member brought into pressure contact with the feeding rotary member and a torque limiter provided between the separating rotary member and a driving shaft wherein a coefficient of friction of the separating rotary member is set so that relations that &mgr;BC N>T/r, &mgr;BP>&mgr;CP, and T/r>&mgr;CP N>&mgr;PP N may be established among a coefficient of friction &mgr;BC between the feeding rotary member and the separating rotary member, a coefficient of friction &mgr;BP between the feeding rotary member and the sheet, a coefficient of friction &mgr;CP between the separating rotary member and the sheet, a coefficient of friction &mgr;PP between the sheets, a pressure contact force N of the separating rotary member, an idling torque T of the torque limiter and an effective

Abstract: An arrangement for feeding documents piecemeal from a document bundle (9) comprises a banknote separator (200) which includes two mutually biased rollers (4,6) that are driven by a drive motor (1) that also drives a dispensing roller (3) which functions to dispense documents from the bundle. The rollers (4,6) of the roll pair are rotationally coupled together via a freewheeling hub. The second roller (6) does not rotate during dispensing of a document. Upon completion of a dispensing operation, the drive direction of the motor (1) is reversed, so as to bring the second roller (6) to a new angular position.

Abstract: An automatic sheet feeder for an image forming apparatus includes a tray to be loaded with a stack of sheets, a side guide for preventing the sheets from skewing, and a sheet feeding mechanism for sequentially picking up and feeding the sheets, the top sheet being first. The tray includes an abutment parallel to a direction of sheet conveyance. The stack of sheets abut against the abutment at one side thereof. The side guide is movable toward and away from the abutment in matching relation to the size of the sheets. The sheet feeding mechanism is positioned at the intermediate between the abutment and the position of the side guide matching with sheets of minimum size available with the sheet feeder.

Abstract: A document feed arrangement has a nip between a feeder and a separator where documents in a stack are urged, singly into the nip and advanced therebeyond by the feeder. A continuously rotating nudger urges the documents into the nip. The nudger has an open space separation from the nip and feeder. In addition, the nudger is disposed adjacent the end document in the stack and arranged to periodically thrust the end document across the separation into the nip. As soon as the end document leaves the nudger it immediately contacts the next-to-the-end document in the stack and begins to thrust it forward. The feeder surface is defined by a large radius at the point of the nip so that the surface of the feeder bends away from the nip. The feeder advances the end document from the stack through the nip without simultaneously advancing a second document. The separator surface is defined by a smaller radius than the feeder for restraining the remaining documents of the stack.

Abstract: A retard module in a mail separator having a floating, middle idler to change the ingestion angle of the mail separator. The retard module further has a downstream idler, an upstream pulley driven by a motor, and an endless belt forming a loop around the idlers and the pulley to provide a retarding force against a feed module. The downstream portion of the retard belt and the belt of the feed module form a nip to ingest incoming mail. The floating idler and the downstream idler are mounted on a bracket which, in turn, is pivotally mounted on a frame of the retard module. Initially, the ingestion angle at the nip is acute and thereby reduces damage to the incoming mailpieces. But when a thick mailpiece enters the separator, it causes the floating idler to move away further from the feed module and thereby increases the ingestion angle. A large ingestion angle allows thicker mailpieces to pass through the nip without substantially increasing the nipping forces.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dispensing paper media is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an engagement device disposed proximate a first side of the paper media. The engagement device contacts the first side of the paper media to urge the paper media in a dispensing direction and a retract direction, according to a command from a processor. The apparatus also comprises a stripper device disposed proximate a second side of the paper media so as to avoid contact with only one paper media unit disposed between the stripper device and the engagement device, but so as to at least intermittently contact a second paper media unit when more than one paper media unit is disposed between the stripper device and the engagement device.

Abstract: A feeding rotatable member, a conveying rotatable member and a separating rotatable member are driven by a sheet feeding motor, a feeding motor and a separating motor, respectively, which are independent driving means to thereby feed an original. The separation and conveyance of the original are effected while the opening amount between the conveying rotatable member and the separating rotatable member is changed by a sheet thickness adjusting motor.

Abstract: In a paper transport device, a first roller serving as a separation roller is situated underneath a second roller serving as a document feed roller, together forming a roller pair. A rotary shaft of the separation roller is biased upward toward the document feed roller by means of an elastic element. One end of the rotary shaft is connected to a drive shaft via a coupler while a connecting bar is joined to the other end of the rotary shaft obliquely from above. An extreme end of the connecting bar opposite to the rotary shaft is attached to a support plate fixed to a main body of the paper transport device in such a way that the connecting bar can swing about pivot pin fixed to the support plate. In the paper transport device thus constructed, one end of the rotary shaft fitted to the coupler acts as a point of support, allowing the other end of the rotary shaft to move downward overwhelming an upward-lifting force of the elastic element when forced downward by the connecting bar.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus for an office automation system constructed to accommodate the storage of paper, a sheet feeder that guides paper to travel in a selected direction of travel, and a device that aligns paper that is being stored to conform to the state of the feeder.

Abstract: A machine for processing documents has a document feeder adapted to selectively adjust document feed rate and interdocument separation. The document feeder has a feeder surface for feeding documents into the machine. There is a nip between the feeder surface and a separator surface. The end document of a stack is urged, singly into the nip and advanced therebeyond by the feeder surface. The separator surface restrains the remaining documents of the stack. A control adjusts the speed of the separator surface to be continuously variable and independent of the speed of said feeder surface, with the separator surface speed adjusted to optimize the document feed rate, optimize interdocument separation, and minimize damage to the documents being fed into the machine.

Abstract: A sheet dispensing apparatus includes at least one pair of sheet stores, and a transport system for transporting sheets from the stores to a dispense position. The transport system includes, for each pair of sheet stores, a common feed member which, upon relative movement between the common feed member and the stores, can be moved between a pair of feed positions in each of which it engages a sheet in a respective one of the pair of stores so as to enable sheet(s) to be withdrawn from the corresponding store. The common feed member is able to take up also a neutral position in which, even if actuated, no sheets are fed from either store.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for optimizing a production output of a processing device for processing flat articles, the processing device including at least one processing arrangement for receiving and processing the flat articles and which has function parameters controllable through actuators. Actual values of the function parameters are detected. Deviations of the actual values of the function parameters from set values are thereafter evaluated according to an empirically determined algorithm. A correction value for at least one of the actuators is calculated based on results of the above evaluation, and the actuator is operated based on the correction value for controlling the function parameters.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a pair of feeding roller and separating roller an inter-shaft distance changing mechanism for the pair of rollers, and sheet detecting means, and a sheet fed is rammed against the surface on which the feeding roller and the separating roller overlap each other to thereby correct skew feeding, and the feeding roller and the separating roller are moved away from each other to thereby feed the sheet. When the passage of the fed sheet between the feeding roller and the separating roller is detected the feeding roller and the separating roller assume a state in which sheet feeding is impossible. By the above-described operation being performed for each sheet, the correction of skew feeding and the separation of a sheet are effected by the feeding roller and the separating roller.

Abstract: Information relating to the characteristics of the documents contained in a document cassette 16 is stored in a button memory 22 on the cassette housing and is read when the cassette 16 is inserted into a document feeding apparatus. The information is processed and correlated with data stored in the memory 74 of a control unit 70 to determine the optimum settings for a mechanism 10 for picking such documents. In particular, during a pick operation, a predetermined number of pulses are supplied to a stepper motor 50, so that when the friction belt 30 is moved into engagement with the documents of the cassette 16, an optimum pressure is exerted by the belt 30 on the documents in the cassette 16. A retard roller 52 is then moved to an optimum position in relation to the belt 30.

Abstract: A two-stage document singulating apparatus includes first and second singulators disposed along a document feed path. The first singulator acts to separate individual documents from a stack which are subject to a stack advance mechanism force. The second singulator separates multifeeds that pass through the first singulator and which are no longer subject to the stack advance mechanism force.

Abstract: A belt (28) is moved into contact with a sheet (70) to be fed from the stack (18) under the control of a solenoid (48), which when energized causes pivoting of a crank mechanism (42) and an pulley (26) which supports the belt (28). The belt (28) frictionally engages the sheet (70) as to separate it from the stack (18) and move it into engagement with feed rollers (56) of a transport mechanism. The belt (28) is then retracted from the sheet (70) which is moved away from the stack (18) by the feed rollers (56). After a predetermined time period, the belt (28) is moved into contact with the next sheet of the stack (18) to be fed and the process is repeated until the desired number of sheets have been fed from the stack (18). The belt (28) is driven so that it rotates continuously during the pick operation and is brought to rest on retraction of the belt (28) after the final sheet has been picked from the stack (18).

Abstract: A substrate feeding system, and printers that use such feeding systems, that includes a feed roll and a retard roll that form a nip, a nudger roll for advancing a substrate from a substrate stack toward the nip, and an entrance guide between the nudger roll and the nip. The entrance guide has a contact surface that forms an angle of more than 100.degree. with the direction of motion of the substrate. The entrance guide further including a top section over which the substrate moves as it advances into the nip. The entrance guide is beneficially pivotally mounted such that when a retard roll is removed the entrance guide pivots out of the way, and such that when a retard roll is in place the entrance guide moves into position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus comprising a pair of rotary drive shafts disposed in parallel with each other and rotated in the same direction, a sheet feed roller provided on one of the rotary drive shafts, and a reverse rotation roller provided on the other rotary drive shaft and urged against the sheet feed roller, and wherein sheets are separated and fed one by one between the sheet feed roller and the reverse rotation roller, and further wherein at least one of the sheet feed roller and the reverse rotation roller is provided with a through hole through which the rotary drive shaft passes, and the through hole has an intermediate portion through which the rotary drive shaft passes, and an escape portion provided at an end and adapted to permit inclination of the rotary drive shaft to maintain parallelism between one roller and the other roller if the rotary drive shaft is inclined.

Abstract: The sheet feeding device comprises a frame with a fixed receptacle for the sheets and pick-up rollers mounted on a first shaft which is pivotingly fitted on the frame by means of a rocking support device. A second shaft is linked to a motor and bears, by means of two pivotingly mounted support members, the first shaft and the rollers. Two pinions integral with the shafts and an intermediate pinion provided with a braking member allow the rollersto be brought into rotation starting from the shaft. Accordingly, the latter commands rotation of the entire support device and presses the rollers against the uppermost sheet with a surface force which increases when the resistance to movement of the uppermost sheet increases. Extremely reliable paper feeding operation is achieved as a result, with a simple construction method and at low cost.

Abstract: The invention provides a paper supply apparatus for an image reading apparatus, an image reading apparatus with a paper supply apparatus and a paper supply apparatus which can be used suitably with an image scanner wherein a large amount of paper sheets can be taken out one by one with certainty and read successively and rapidly. The paper supply apparatus successively supplies paper sheets accommodated therein to a paper transport mechanism along which an optical image reading mechanism is disposed, and comprises a paper supply hopper, a paper supply roller located above the paper supply hopper for forwarding the paper sheets accommodated in the paper supply hopper, a paper supply roller driving mechanism for rotating the paper supply roller, and a paper separation mechanism for preventing two or more paper sheets forwarded by the paper supply roller from being sent to the paper transport mechanism.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism including a pick apparatus for selectively moving a sheet of media from a stack. The invention is a counter rotating roll design that uses staggered and nested rolls to achieve separation. The invention includes a separator roll mounted on a first shaft between first and second `D` shaped pick tires mounted on a second shaft. A kicker is mounted on the first shaft along with the separation roll. The kicker flexes as it engages the stack when the shaft is rotated and, after it has rotated around, pushes media remaining on the separation roll back onto the stack.

Abstract: A shaft portion of a retard roller is supported by a pair of supporting members so that the retard roller can be assuredly supported and easily detached. One of the pair of supporting members is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction of the shaft portion. By moving the movable supporting member in a direction of separating from the shaft portion, the retard roller can be detached. A regulation device regulates movement of the movable supporting member in the direction of separating from the shaft portion at a position where the pair of supporting members engage with the shaft portion and is provided on a guide cover for blocking an opening for mounting/detaching the retard roller.

Abstract: A retard sheet feeder-separator for separating and sequentially feeding sheets with a frictional sheet feeding roller, driven via a drive train by an intermittently connected rotational drive system, feeding an individual sheet past an engaging frictional retard roller, forming a sheet retard nip therewith for holding back the other sheets, to a downstream sheet feeding nip. A flywheel having a rotational moment of inertia substantially greater than that of the drive train and the sheet feeding roller is connected to the outer end of the drive train to reduce kickback of the retarded sheets in the retard nip, especially where the retard roller is rotatable forward with a high torque drag but has kickback upon release of a fed sheet from the retard nip.

Abstract: An electromechanical friction feed device for controlling the single feed of sheet-like articles from a stack of such articles has a feed belt and stripper wheel that are used to draw a single article from the bottom of the stack to the discharge section of the feeder. The stripper wheels slowly rotate in a direction opposite to the feed movement to hold the penultimate sheet and those above it in a stack while the lowermost product is translated by the feed belt through the machine. The reverse rotation of the stripper wheel is accomplished using a dual ratchet mechanism along with unidirectional needle bearing assemblies that provide a smooth, continuous rotation of the stripper wheels. The two ratchet mechanisms are driven 180.degree. out of phase with respect to one another to achieve the smooth continuous stripper wheel rotation.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus capable of separating and feeding sheets each having a flap like an envelope. In the sheet feeding apparatus, when stacked sheets are delivered by a pickup roller supported liftably, and separated one by one by a feed roller for rotating in a sheet feed direction and a retard roller for rotating in an opposite direction to the sheet feeding direction, the pickup roller is moved up and down a plurality of times until a flap of the delivered sheet passes between the feed roller and the retard roller, which makes it possible to prevent buckling of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus capable of applying a predetermined force for transporting any kind of paper, including a sheet of thin paper, without forming transport wrinkles in the paper caused by a nipping pressure. The apparatus includes a hard roller 114 and a soft roller 112 for nipping a sheet of paper 10 therebetween. The soft roller is driven to transport the sheet using a frictional force generated from the nipping pressure applied by the soft and hard rollers. The hard roller is in a barrel-shape having a predetermined radial curvature "R", such that the nipping pressure decreases gradually along its axis from the center toward the periphery of a nipping face between two rollers. This causes a compressive stress against the sheet to shift smoothly from a portion of the sheet nipped by the soft and hard rollers to a portion free from the nipping pressure. Thus, the formation of transport wrinkles in the sheet can be prevented.

Abstract: A singulator apparatus includes a forwardly driving device and a reverse driving mechanism which operate together to separate individual articles from a stack of articles being transported thereto from an upstream feeding device. The singulator further includes a sensor which detects the presence of articles at the articles ingestion nip defined between the forwardly driving device and the reverse driving mechanism. A controller stops operation of the feeding device upon detection of the presence of articles by the sensor and initiate feeding by the feeding device if no articles are sensed by the sensor.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeder comprises: a pick roller for picking out paper accommodated in a paper cassette; a separation roller to which a torque limiter is connected, and which separates the paper picked out by the pick roller to feed the paper one sheet at a time; means for moving the separation roller into contact with or away from the pick roller; a lifter for lifting the paper accommodated in the paper cassette to cause the paper to be moved into contact with or away from the pick roller; and means for driving the lifter. The means for moving the separation roller into contact with or away from the pick roller and the means for driving the lifter are realized by a single driving means.